NCJ Number
60527
Journal
Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1979) Pages: 217-229
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF THE ATTEMPTS OF BURGESS, AKERS, AND ADAMS TO REFORMULATE SUTHERLAND'S WELL-KNOWN CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION INTO OPERANT CONDITIONING THEORY TERMINOLOGY IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THIS ATTEMPT AT REFORMULATION FAILS TO PRESERVE SUTHERLAND'S INTERESTING INSIGHTS BY REDUCING HIS THEORY TO THE MERE CLAIM THAT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS OPERANT CONDITIONING BEHAVIOR. SUTHERLAND'S THEORY IS PARTICULARLY APT FOR REFORMULATION; ALL THAT IS REQUIRED IS RESTRUCTURING OF THE NINE AXIOMS BASIC TO SUTHERLAND'S THEORY. THIS AXIOM REFORMULATION IS INHERENT IN THE EFFORTS OF BURGESS, AKERS, AND ADAMS, WHOSE MOTIVATION FOR REFORMULATION OF SUTHERLAND'S THEORY IS TO MAKE IT MORE TESTABLE. MOST OF THESE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DEVOTED TO ELIMINATING TERMS WHICH ARE NOT OPERATIONALLY DEFINED. THE PRIMARY FLAW IN ALL REFORMULATION EFFORTS IS THAT THE THEORY, (OR DEORIVATIONS THEREOF) REMAIN TO SOME EXTENT, UNTESTABLE. THE OPERANT CONDITIONING THEORY WAS SELECTED AS THE REDUCTION STRUCTURE BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST PRECISE AND WIDELY ACCEPTED IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY. HOWEVER, SIMPLE LAWS, AS ESPOUSED IN THE REFORMULATION THEORIES, CANNOT GENERALLY BE WRITTEN FOR SOPHISTICATED BEHAVIOR. THE ASSUMPTION HERE IS THAT AT LEAST SOME CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS OF THE SOPHISTICATED KIND IN QUESTION. ULTIMATELY, SUTHERLAND'S THEORY MAY SUCCEED IN EXPLANATION WHERE ITS REFORMULATIONS FAIL. IF SUTHERLAND'S REFERENCES REFERING TO MENTAL ENTITIES SUCH AS ATTITUDES AND MOTIVES CAN BE CONSTRUED AS BEING STATES OR PROCESSES IN THE BRAIN, THEN SUTHERLAND'S THEORY MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE THE KIND OF EXPLANATIONS THAT ELUDE BEHAVIORISTIC THEORIES. BEHAVIORISTIC PRINCIPLES ARE SIMPLY NOT ADEQUATE FOR PREDICTING SOPHISTICATED BEHAVIOR. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED LWM)